Politics & Power

Power Moves with Global Consequences

If March was about reclaiming power, April proved that President Donald Trump has no intention of easing into his second term. From global tariffs to sweeping immigration crackdowns, April 2025 was a month of bold, top-down directives with ripple effects across trade, education, and the border.

Key Moves & Headlines

• A Trade War Reignited
  Trump declared a national economic emergency, citing U.S. trade deficits as a threat to national security. He imposed a 10% tariff on all imports, with steeper penalties for countries with trade surpluses.The White House also floated a “reciprocal tariff” policy, initially pitched as a 10% blanket tax — then paused for 90 days after backlash from allies and markets.
• China Takes the Heat
  In a targeted strike, the administration slapped a 145% tariff on Chinese imports, sparking outcry from U.S. retailers and tech manufacturers already navigating post-COVID supply chain instability.
• Tariff Chaos, Revisited
  Interestingly, some tariffs from Trump’s first term were reversed or adjusted, suggesting internal tension between ideology and economic realities. Officials cited “policy refinement,” but critics called it “policy whiplash.”
• Immigration Crackdown Deepens
  Trump’s DHS expanded its targeting of sanctuary cities, ramped up deportations, and renewed agreements to detain migrants in El Salvador prisons — a controversial move echoing foreign outsourcing of incarceration.
• Border Wall Construction Resumes
  New contracts were awarded in Arizona and Texas for continued construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, with an emphasis on “sealing gaps” and enhancing surveillance capabilities.
• Higher Ed Under the Microscope
  A new executive order directed the Department of Education to revise university accreditation standards and boost transparency on foreign funding, especially from China and Qatar. Critics say the move is less about reform and more about ideological purging.
• “Common Sense” Discipline in Schools
  Another executive order focused on school discipline, instructing the Education Secretary to enforce Title VI rules with “clarity and consistency.” The language strongly hints at rolling back Obama-era protections related to race and student punishment.

The Big Picture

April made one thing clear: Trump’s second term is not coasting on campaign slogans — it’s rewriting the federal rulebook. With sweeping trade moves, intensified immigration enforcement, and a bullhorn aimed at higher education, the White House is betting on executive power to fast-track its vision.

Some see strength. Others see overreach. But no one can say it’s subtle. Trump’s second term is no longer warming up. It’s fully unleashed.